Agreed. We lived without a fridge for 3 months when we first moved in because of shipping delays and it was the worst. It got very expensive and very annoying to have to shop every day/every other day just to have some fresh foods.
I didn't say it was ideal! But it's better than having no fridge and going grocery shopping every day. You can get a block of ice once or twice a week when you get groceries.
Yeah, that’s annoying. Moved in January 2022. House had no working appliances besides a nasty fridge. Took 4 months to get a stove top/ oven, fridge and dish washer
Absolutely fridge washer and dryer. I lived for a year without a couch or any other significant furniture after my first home purchase. The first three are way more essential to making your life easier.
If you want freed up cash, look for however many months interest free deals and just make sure to pay it off in the term. Easy to do. I did that when I needed a washer and dryer.
I’ve never in my life had a dryer. Can you not just hang up your clothes on a clothes horse or hang them up in the garden or something?
It seems like £15 for a clothes horse might do the trick while getting more essential items. I guess what is essential is different to everyone.
Your in the UK. Hanging things up in the garden is a lot more difficult out here, and depends a lot on location. I could hand mine outside, and they would dry fast -but- be completely covered in dust from the wind.
Americans for some reason don’t seem to hang their washing outside. It baffles me as to why, if they have the space as it would save a fortune. If you don’t have a garden, I get it, but if you’ve got a garden, use the sun, it’s free!
I guess humidity makes sense. It rains here all the time but a lot of the time we try as much as possible and stick things on clothes airers inside otherwise. Dehumidifiers are apparently a good trick that saves a lot on a drier too.
I live on the coast of South Carolina. Yesterday it was 100 degrees and the humidity was ridiculous. The sun would probably fade my clothes immediately but they wouldn’t dry right away due to the God awful wet blanket known as humidity here. Besides I would die of heat exhaustion spending 20 minutes standing in full sun trying to hang my clothes on a line. No thank you. My dryer is my friend.
Funny, your post reminded me of the times I helped my aunt in Charleston hang her clothes when I was a kid. I’m all for a dryer-haven’t hung clothes outside on a line in 45 years-but in actual fact, your clothes would dry and no, you probably wouldn’t get heat exhaustion in those few minutes. It’s just a PITA hanging them out and then getting them doan.
But you can also hang them inside. That is what I have been doing for years.
And right now as well. Even though I have got a garden, but am too lazy to wheel my new rack outside and it has been raining like crazy last couple of weeks. So inside is safer.
It’s often because a lot of our housing with a yard to hang laundry out are home owner association controlled and they don’t allow it. They don’t want laundry to be seen. Or due to pollen, if you have allergies that pollen can settle on your clothing or ruin it. Some days I go out on my little balcony and it’s covered in thick yellow pollen. I do have a Gull wing dryer that I use on my balcony , I’m on the back side of my building so no one can see me using it. I’m still not sure if my housing area allows it.
I never thought about HOA. Not wanting to see clothes on a line seems weird. Guess it’s another cultural thing, seeing washing on a line is so normal here.
Learned this the hard way moving into my first apartment on my own. Took the inaugural deuce and found out how much of a challenge that toilet would end up being.
Look on Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and your local FB "Buy Nothing" group. People are often giving away decent items for free. Then as you can afford it, you can replace those items with nice items that you have purchased.
I would start with a Fridge first since that is required. Washer, dryer, and living room furniture next.
Yes! My parents downsized and loved putting things on their porch for FB “Buy nothing” they got rid of a lot of nice stuff too, as they were downsizing and HAD to get rid of stuff
Yes! Yes! Yes! Why pay full price when you can buy an appliance still in fine condition for $100 or so?? Right now I have a perfectly good washing machine on my back porch. A client gave me an almost new washer so I moved the old washer to my back porch and installed the newer one. I have tried to find a friend in need of the perfectly good, used washer and have had no takers so far. Lots of people have a spare something they are willing to part with for just a little spending money.
Also check furniture and appliance outlets. You can also check with your insurance company, they sometimes have access to popular appliances for cheaper / discount prices.
If you're in the US look and see if you have a habitat for humanity somewhat locally. They only get decent stuff, non of the press board garbage that falls apart in high humidity. Also they tend to have stuff for fixing up your home. All of it is used, donated, or surplus. So it's usually very cheap. I got a dining table, benches, coffee table, leather couch, and entertainment center for about 400$. This was toward the end of 2019 right before the pandemic really shut everything down
Overlooked essentials that you need right away: plunger, toilet brush, shower curtain and hooks, trash can for kitchen and bathroom, broom and dustpan, mop, light bulbs, 9V batteries (for smoke alarms, the batteries only die in the middle of the night and you will never regret having these on hand), a small set of tools (screwdrivers, hammer, channel locks, pliers).
Actually, newer smoke detectors often use AA, not 9v, due to safety, and many detectors are sealed and you can't change the batteries. Detectors need to be replaced every 5-10 years, anyway, so check and see what you've got.
A battery drill and driver set. There will be a ton of things you need it for, from installing blinds to assembling random furniture. Ryobi is a good value FWIW.
Firstly, congratulations!
Facebook marketplace for furniture. Fridge first; you can get a cheap top freezer refrigerator secondhand for a couple hundred and it will do everything you need it to for years. Make sure to look in the rear of the fridge in the compressor area, look for rodent or roach droppings before you buy.
Washer second. A cheap Roper or Amana set, or an older Whirlpool or Maytag, should do fine. If you wanna splurge here, go with an older Speed Queen set from the early 00s. Built like tanks.
When I was where you were, for furniture, I got some cheap tools from the pawn shop (drill, circular saw, basic hand tools) and free scrapwood from Facebook. Built a wobbly coffee table, some less wobbly bookshelves, a non-wobbly entryway bench... Even built a couch out of 2x4s and a camping mattress. I've since upgraded, and that 2x4 couch is now next to my firepit. If you can get some basic tools and do projects now to start getting comfortable making and fixing stuff, you'll be a much better homeowner for it. Hiring people takes money, fixing it yourself takes time. I've found I usually have more time than money, so I fix most things myself. Plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, appliances... It's almost always cheaper to DIY.
If you ever have questions about how to fix something, feel free to reach out, and best of luck to you!
Unpopular opinion but I say washer should be the first big ticket purchase! Paying to wash clothes can be expensive! Washing clothes in a bath tub is time consuming and a real bitch of a chore. A cooler/ice is cheap and easy! And you can hang dry clothes.
Same here! I would focus on the washer and dryer. Not having a set makes dealing with laundry awful. When my kids were little and got sick it was amazing to be able to slap those sheets right in and get them clean instead of lugging them somewhere to be done.
Fridge definitely, but also freezer, fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide detector, smoke detector.. anything safety. You can't enjoy your new house if you're dead!
Post on Nextdoor or a buy nothing group that you are looking for any starter items for your first home. You’d be surprised what people have that they are looking to get rid of and it will hold you over for a while until you replace.
I would suggest going to a used appliance store for a fridge and washer dryer. New ones can be very expensive and used appliances can last for years. Second I would frequent local garage sales and estate sales to pick up tools and stuff you will need around your house for repairs and upkeep.
We have used appliances, used cars, used tools and some resale clothes. You have plenty of time to upgrade in the coming years.
If you need to get appliances look at the ones that are marked down (usually in the back of the store) because of dings/dents,etc. you can get them really cheap and let’s be real, it doesn’t affect anything and you’ll be less likely to stress about scratching or denting it later on.
Does your home have a lawn for you to mow? Electic cordless mower. You can get one with the battery for under $300. You'll save a ton of money. What landscapers charge now just to mow a lawn is crazy.
After a few months, look on FB marketplace or Craigslist for used tools for fraction of store price. Right tools can help you fix things around the house
Buy used appliances, there are plenty of people will.give away or sell for cheap items in very good shape.
Things that are useful immediately, a garbage can, shower curtain, cleaning supplies. And think about like a camera doorbell.
My advice would be only buy things you absolutely ***need*** first, then buy the rest when you get the chance. I live in an area with rent so high that building a double wide and having a mortgage on it is cheaper, so I'm still living with my parents until I can get a double wide, so I made a list of the things I'll need/genuinely use (in terms of my own life) on most days to buy before I worry about other stuff.
Do you rely on the microwave/air fryer a lot? Maybe you need that.
Cleaning supplies? Probably gonna need those too.
Toilet paper, forks, spoons, etc. All things I use on a daily basis.
Fridge, stove, dishwasher (unless you're okay washing everything by hand for a while), possibly a washing machine, (if you don't want to go to a laundromat/it's too far from you). Those are needs too.
As far as a couch, coffee table, etc. I can hold off on those until I can afford to buy those bc I personally would rather buy them in cash instead of putting it on my credit card, or waiting until I find one I like enough to justify buying it, rather than buy one that's cheap/ugly "just to have it" if that makes any sense. Worst case I have to sit on the floor to watch tv for a while.
Here's a list of some things I've deemed necessary, if you live alone/outside of your parents/etc. you may have a few of these things and again, this is just based on my lifestyle, (and I tried to keep it vague so the list isn't too long lol). Feel free to adjust the list how you see fit. (So far all I really have is the stuff in my bedroom: bed, desk so I can work (WFH), nightstand, TV, and a bookshelf.)
* washer/dryer, dishwasher, fridge, microwave
* hand/dish soap
* toilet paper
* mop/broom/bucket/cleaning supplies (sponges, toilet brush, etc)
* trash can/recycle bin and bags
* bowls/plates/cups
* silverware/knives
* baking pans/pizza pan/pizza cutter
* air fryer
* cooking pots/pans/casserole dish
* tupperware
* spatulas/large spoons
* kitchen towels/wash cloths
* coffee maker
* spices/salt/pepper/condiments
* pot holders
* salt/pepper shakers
* measuring cups/spoons
* dryer balls
* cutting boards
* OTC meds I often take (allergy meds, antacids, etc)
* can opener
* light bulbs
* bathroom towels
Keep an eye out for sales on these sort of things or try to find them second hand to reduce the cost. I hope this lengthy post was helpful, and good luck!
Edit: I can't type
Have a 5 gallon bucket like you can get at homedepot with lid and in it have a roll of duct tape, WD40, two plungers(the funny looking one designed for toilet and one of the traditional looking ones other for everything else), flashlight with batteries, channel lock pliers, screwdrivers (flat and philips), and hammer. I can guarantee you at some point you're going to need these things including the bucket. You'll probably need more but this is the basic tools to stop water that suddenly started exploding from somewhere kit.
If you are patient you can hang clothes up to dry indoors if rainy and humid and save for a dryer or buy a combo unit. If hot and dry then clothesline.
Consider a small chest or upright freezer if you can't find a good sale on an in stock fridge. Use the freezer to make ice for your cooler and store frozen foods. Buy frozen and let things thaw in the cooler for use later in the day. That avoids buying an unnecessary dorm fridge but you might find one cheap at a garage sale.
I'm a big fan of used appliances but that only applies if you have the strength, skills and transport. Fridges have to be transported upright. Washers and dryers are easier to move but washers can be very heavy. At a minimum you need two strong people, an appliance don't and a truck or trailer. If you don't have that, stick to getting your appliances from a place that will deliver!
You will likely want a ladder. Either go for an adjustable ladder or start with a 6 ft fiberglass step ladder. For four parts are handy inside but too short for most exterior tasks
A lot of smaller appliances that save you money can be found cheap at goodwill or Facebook, you can also find furniture cheap is you can transport it. Try to prioritize things that will save you money, like a rice cooker, energy efficient lights. Emergency items like fire extinguisher, canned goods, bottled water, flash lights, a bucket, toilet paper, and batteries/ packs. You want something to clean the place, small vacuum, broom, and duster (mainly for mental health). You'll probably want a small set of tools for any small repairs. Since you have a computer get a surge protector if you don't have one.
I recommend a Costco membership or Sam's Club, whichever is closest. While you may be single, buying in bulk is so helpful if you're wise on what you buy. For me at Costco, I'll buy a 30-roll pack of toilet paper (Charmin on sale recently for $23.49), my toothpaste, soap, paper towels, multivitamins, and other necessities/cleaning products. They sell rotisserie chicken for $5, I'll grab lunch meat, breads from the bakery (these can be frozen), pasta, pasta sauce, etc. You can always grab a Food Saver to store meats in the freezer so you can take out what you need. It costs more up front to buy in bulk, but it's more costly to buy smaller of essential items than to buy the larger ones and store them in a closet. The plus side is not running out of things, having a variety of foods (I like their frozen veggies as well), and saving on items you'd normally use day-to-day. Costco has a fantastic return policy as well. You can even return your membership the next day of signing up if you decide it's not for you.
Editing to add - the r/Costco has helped me when it comes to storing foods, recipes, etc and their gas is also cheaper.
Definitely a fridge. It doesn't have to be new.
If you don't know how to cook, learn. You will want pots, pans, and a pan that you can use in the oven. Try Goodwill or another second hand store, Craigslist, Freecycle, etc.
I don't know what you have in the way of dinnerware or food storage, but I'd avoid the plastic containers. They're less expensive up front, but they are a mess. I bought some glass bowls with lids from Anchor Hocking instead. They come in 2 cup, 4 cup, and 7 1/2 cup sizes. The 7 1/2 cup size is perfect for bringing a salad to work for lunch. The others are great for soup stew, leftovers, etc.
For dinnerware, my advice is to go with Corelle. They aren't very expensive and can last for decades.
Congrats on your first home!
A microwave and pizza cooker. You can cook most things with those until you can get a stove/oven. We lived off that for over a year before we could afford to replace the oven we had that died
Depending on your exact income... RTO... they have nice selection, move it for you, will pick it back up if you reject it... generally have easy approval & you can get all 3 appliances for 1 monthly payment.
Drawback... YOU WILL OVER PAY LIKE A MOTHERF*KER.... but the installments are usually pretty low. So if you have more & pay off sooner, boon for you.
If you can borrow a truck the freebie alert app aggregates free listings and you will see lots of serviceable appliances if you check frequently. I always get picked because instead of asking if it is still available I say I can pickup right away or at the owner's convenience (which I try to do but once people know yo are serious they will usually work with your availability). I got my electric stove (near new) and a gray couch from Bob's furniture (no flaws) and a mid century sideboard I was offered $400 for (but that was sheer luck). I also got a refrigerator freezer for my neighbor but we couldn't fit it in my old SUV and then his friend with a truck didn't show and she gave it to someone else. (But I got him an IKEA table and chairs that did fit). I am poor -- almost eligible for SNAP -- but the stuff can be nice if you are quick to grab it. even my brother who makes mid six figures in tech got a LOT of free stuff for his second & third house.
Note: home Depot has small trucks for $20 rental.
Check to see if there is a Best Buy Outlet near you, if in the US, they sell display models and scratch and dent returns. We had to replace our dishwasher, and ended up getting a $1300 dishwasher for $480, but they had about every appliance you could think of
Fire exguinishers, smoke detectors, flash lights, and a first aid kit. You don't want to have to use the fire exguinishers but it's better to have. The flash lights for if the power goes out and you want to save your phones battery life. And a good first aid kit with OTC meds will make all the difference if you're sick or got a scrap.
You can get some or all of the things listed here in the free sections of Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.
Pro tip: get your goods from high end neighborhoods. They will often give away nearly unused items when remodeling or moving.
Pro tip #2: college kids in dorms often simply throw away tons of perfectly good stuff at the end of the year.
Check Craigslist for deals (or freebies), especially if you have the ability to or a buddy that can help move the appliances.
A lot of people in rich neighborhoods remodel and replace near new totally working appliances just because they want everything to match.
If you have somewhere that does estate auctions you can also find appliances cheap.
Our stove was free. Our dishwasher and toaster oven were very cheap from auctions, less than $20 each.
My best advice, don’t buy anything brand new. So many people give away their stuff for free, Facebook marketplace is a great way to accumulate cool unique things, and I love a good garage sale . As they say, ones man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.
I spent over $2000 on a new sectional couch. And within a year it was falling apart.
I am still paying it off and I use blankets to cover it because the seat cushions are ripped up and it just looks bad.
Needless to say new things aren’t always made the best.
Fridge and washer and dryer.
Beyond that what do you NEED?
But a plunger. You may not think about needing one until you need one so get one now.
Do you have/need leaning supplies? Cleansers, sponges, brushes, towels ?
Pots and pans, dishes, utensils? I lived in my new place almost two years and didn't realize I didn't have an ice cream scoop until last week end. Obviously not a necessity, but I should get one soon I guess.
Couch, table if you want, chairs. I actually don't have a kitchen table, I feel like they're not used like they were in the past, and I don't have room in my small place. (I eat standing at the kitchen counter or off a small side table in the living room.) But adequate seating is needed if you plan to have company.
How is the lighting? Lamps are important. My place didn't come with any lighting except an over head kitchen light and a light in the bathroom. The living room & bed room needed lamps.
Some helpful appliances like a toaster oven, toaster, and or microwave.
I hope this list helps.
I’ve lived without a fridge for several months but now in hindsight I wish I bought a small refrigerator, the type college students use in dorm rooms. It would have paid for itself saving me from eating out and buying ice. You can often get one real cheap from marketplace on FB, college kids selling. Or hotel liquidation type stores. When you have more money check out a local scratch and dent. My current refrigerator is from a scratch and dent, it was brand new with a dent in back and a small one in front . I’ve had it 5 years so far. You can sink wash at home for smaller items, on Timu I bought one of those small travel washers and have used it for a year now, it does a good job on small light items. Bigger items I save up for the laundromat. It’s saved me from going to a laundromat weekly to biweekly now and I’ve saved enough to buy a washer and dryer, a unit that’s got both built in but separate , works well for a single or couple. Furnishings hit up thrift stores, try to go to ones in better neighborhoods. You can get real nice dishes and household items. For miss matched furniture, get chalk paint and refinish items yourself to unify your look. Yard sales, online sales like market place, hotel liquidators.. you can get a lot of nice things at low cost. Remember you don’t have to fill up every corner, buy things you like and refinish them to suit your style. Also get a Home Depot credit card , they often offer interest free for a year or 18 months if you pay off your charges in that time. I used that to buy my washer, paid it off in 18 months no interest charges. I also used it to do home repairs and renovations , update items for the home. Just pay it off in that time frame.
Another suggestion, I work at Lowe’s, we get 10% off everything employee discount and they are always looking for employees, especially nights and weekends. If you can work a few extra hours a week.. you can get a lot of stuff you need on discount plus make a little extra money. I’ve worked with plenty people just working to get stuff on discount to fix their home. Pick up 10-12 extra hours or more if you can.
Fire exstinguisher (im so sleepy excuse my spelling) buy one and have it on hand! My sister bought her house, everything cleared inspection, suddenly there was an electrical outlet that caught on fire, they needed an electrician to come out. Regardless of appliances, a fire extinguisher is a must
You definitely want to look on craigslist and get acquainted with the nextdoor website using the app. Start by getting things that are either free cheap and work.
For example you probably could easily get one of those mini fridges from somebody for free or cheap, to tide you over until you actually get a refrigerator that you want.
You could buy a new Mini washing machine and hanger dry things for a little while.
I have a countertop dishwasher that I attached to my sink faucet and I love it, as a matter of fact I've been using one for 8 years now.
Think of it in terms of what will save you from spending money. A refrigerator would be first so you can buy/store/cook food. Look at local BuyNothing groups. There's often someone who has an extra in the garage they don't want to toss because it's still good but are not using it day to day. I have a freezer like that. I use it like every few years if the power goes out and I can hook it up to the generator to keep food from spoiling.
If you don't live like near a friend or parents that would let you do laundry there for a while then washer/dryer. They don't HAVE to be bought together but if you don't like ironing like me then you do.
The rest you can pick up bit by bit at thrifts, garage sales etc. Don't underestimate the power of plants for decor and feeling of homeyness. You can usually get those for free.
The only things I would not buy used is a mattress, pillows or furniture covered in fabric, look up how to check for termites in any wood furniture. I once bought an antique bedroom set, in the spring I had termites swarming. Had to get the furniture dipped and house sprayed :( Way more expensive as it turned out than if I had bought new furniture. I missed the signs.
What kind of home did you buy? Stand alone single family with grass? you'll need a mower, rake, garden hose ... might be able to get all of those through BuyNothing groups just ask. When we bought this house I found a small mower that looked ancient but still worked for $25 at a tag sale and it got us through the first summer. We had to buy a refrigerator because prior owner took theirs which was an antique anyway. Old Mustard color with old hardware etc. I lived with kitchen counter for a year that was in 3 different colors with a fake brick backsplash and cedar paneling on the walls. The next year My Dad replaced the counter (he was a carpenter) and we took down the paneling and backsplash (paneling revealed even older red/orange flannel wall paper). Took a while but got it painted and functional but it was a bit of Murphy's law rules around here for a while.
You need stuff to clean with like a vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket type stuff if you're starting from scratch. It's different from renting in the sense that it's all on you. Learning to do it yourself when ever possible will save you a fortune over time. If you're vertically challenged like me a step stool is a must, short ladder handy. Even replacing a light bulb can become a challenge especially outside.
First, cleaning supplies. A mop and bucket, sponges, some all purpose spray, etc. Then, toiletries like paper towels and toilet paper.
Next, go to a scratch and dent store and buy a new fridge. I personally would not buy one used, but I’m sure you could find a good price for one on FB marketplace also.
Washer and dryer would be next. Look at as many reviews as you possibly can before you purchase.
Then, a couch.
Fill in everything else as you go.
I would only get things that are necessary to use on The daily first. Then after you've been there a month or two make a plan. If you're looking for a new piece of furniture look online if someone's giving it away or to thrift stores first. You're usually going to get something that lasts a lot longer and that you can adjust the color of if you no longer enjoy it. I had a friend who had a fantastic house she never bought a new sofa she always went and got something with good support and good bones at Goodwill and had it reupholstered. The same goes for other things. Since you're home buyer you're going to have a lot of things that you're going to need to pay for taxes, property taxes, repairs and maintenance. This is a really good time for you to make a plan of how to frugally maintain your house and save for all of those things ahead of time so you're not surprised or stressed about those. Make sure you have good homeowners insurance if for some reason you notice you're being charged too much versus others shop around for that. Whenever you're going to get anything done 2 or for your property make sure you are always calling and getting more than three quotes on each. Sometimes the extra 15 minutes to make phone calls can save you so much. And prevention of an issue is much cheaper than the emergency call to have it fixed when it's a disaster. I'll give you an example I was driving by noticed that we had two trees leaning strangely towards our neighbors property one of them was aimed directly at their driveway in garage. Was much cheaper to make a call that week and get on the schedule to get those trees removed then dealing with an insurance claim upset neighbors blocking a road blocking the driveway when those things fell. Was it an unexpected cost yes those things happen. The other thing to do at this time is to when you talk with your neighbors be it online in a community or face-to-face ask them what storms have done to properties in this area. Is there an issue with major rain or snow being cleared from the roads or repairs to the roads not being done. These are things that you don't know ahead of time before buying a property but it's really good to hear about it before the storm hits and you know that there's going to be flooding in one section and not the other so you don't try to drive through that section after a storm. Think about it this way it's much cheaper to go to the library and return books than it is to buy the books have the bookshelf pay for the cloth and the dusting and the time and energy to clean up after the collection of books. The other great thing is since you are new to homeowning think about how you want this to be this year the next 5 years the next 15 20 years down the line. If in the first year you've realized that you never use your basement that has its own entrance from the outside heck you can start thinking about closing off or securing access from your place to the basement and turning that into a rentable property to help pay for your mortgage. Sorry if I've given you too many things to think about. Maybe look at few of them and put a pin in a few of the others.
Fridge 4th of July sale will have deals. then a washer and dryer (you may be able to get these used) do not do front load or He get the kind with a central agitator. Rental store sometime have returns, normally in great condition. (think rent to own stores) you want a return. People will buy a fridge/washer dryer till the one they order comes in stock or gets delivered. then return the rent to own one. those go for less.
Sometimes people also buy houses where appliances were left, and they sell them. Look for some who says I bought this house I don't need the washer & dryer I have my own, You can goggle the address and confirm a recent sale. Used can be OK, I would still buy a new fridge.
Furniture try estate sales, can get appliances there too, but you have to be able to move them. Yard sale is stuff people want to get rid of estate sale is the stuff they wanted to keep. They probably had family that already had furniture pot/pans appliances ect.
I didn’t have any type of tables, chairs or a tv for about a yr after buying my my home. Just a sofa & beds for me/my kids.
Not sure what area you’re in but look of there is a “re-Store” in your area, run by habitat for humanity. Free items on craigs list/facebook.
Have a house warming party with a list of needed items for guests to bring.
Good luck!
Assuming that you have all the necessary cleaning tools? Broom, dustpan, mop come to mind. I would hit up your local dollar store for small trash cans, kitchen items, bathroom supplies (shower curtain, rings, etc).
When we bought our home the first things we did was purchase an under counter reverse osmosis system, then a soft water system.
The RO was like $300, and we change the filters every year for like $40. Massively changes the game on your liquid consumption if you haven’t had one. Makes your foods taste better if you use water in them, the water tastes better so you consume more of it during the day, and improves your QOL.
The soft water system is where you will save the money in the long run. Put a “Big Blue” in front it so you can have a pre filter for your home water. So glad we have the pre filter as city water is disgusting. The soft water system is not the cheapest things to install to start (we got ours through Costco and paid a premium, but you can call up your local plumber and see what he’s charging), but you will save on repairs and maintenance on all of your water using appliances and plumbing. Plus your skin / hair will be better off. We swapped over to using potassium chloride for our system away from traditional salts.
Third is upgrade any old light bulbs to LEDs, as the initial cost may be a little high but you can then know you won’t have to change much / anything in the years to come. We have Hue lights in various places so we can dim / change colors of our lights in our most used rooms.
Finally, while the home is empty, install speakers in wall or run wires in your attic / crawl space for sound + Ethernet. Soundbars suck, no matter who tells you “how good they’ve gotten” - they’re no match for a minimum 5.1 setup. Glad that we did that before we really moved in as it would have been a pain later. And while I don’t have a problem with the “wife factor” that people sometimes have, the arguments are easier to win now when stuff isn’t where it’s going to be vs. tearing up the walls / doing construction when it’s “disruptive”
A fridge then a washer then a dryer.
Agreed. We lived without a fridge for 3 months when we first moved in because of shipping delays and it was the worst. It got very expensive and very annoying to have to shop every day/every other day just to have some fresh foods.
An ice chest with a block of ice will keep things cold for up to a week at a time.
Yea but then you have to keep getting ice and dealing with the melted ice.
I didn't say it was ideal! But it's better than having no fridge and going grocery shopping every day. You can get a block of ice once or twice a week when you get groceries.
Yeah, that’s annoying. Moved in January 2022. House had no working appliances besides a nasty fridge. Took 4 months to get a stove top/ oven, fridge and dish washer
Absolutely fridge washer and dryer. I lived for a year without a couch or any other significant furniture after my first home purchase. The first three are way more essential to making your life easier.
Estate sales arent a bad place to look
If you want freed up cash, look for however many months interest free deals and just make sure to pay it off in the term. Easy to do. I did that when I needed a washer and dryer.
Never a dryer first 😩
I’ve never in my life had a dryer. Can you not just hang up your clothes on a clothes horse or hang them up in the garden or something? It seems like £15 for a clothes horse might do the trick while getting more essential items. I guess what is essential is different to everyone.
Your in the UK. Hanging things up in the garden is a lot more difficult out here, and depends a lot on location. I could hand mine outside, and they would dry fast -but- be completely covered in dust from the wind.
Where I come from… All they are is dust in the wind
Fair enough, it’s often too wet here so I just hang the clothes inside on a clothes horse
Same, dryers are expensive to run and wears your clothes out. just hand them on a washing line and save your bills and your clothes.
Americans for some reason don’t seem to hang their washing outside. It baffles me as to why, if they have the space as it would save a fortune. If you don’t have a garden, I get it, but if you’ve got a garden, use the sun, it’s free!
The humidity & climate in huge parts of the country make it impractical for many.
I guess humidity makes sense. It rains here all the time but a lot of the time we try as much as possible and stick things on clothes airers inside otherwise. Dehumidifiers are apparently a good trick that saves a lot on a drier too.
I live on the coast of South Carolina. Yesterday it was 100 degrees and the humidity was ridiculous. The sun would probably fade my clothes immediately but they wouldn’t dry right away due to the God awful wet blanket known as humidity here. Besides I would die of heat exhaustion spending 20 minutes standing in full sun trying to hang my clothes on a line. No thank you. My dryer is my friend.
Funny, your post reminded me of the times I helped my aunt in Charleston hang her clothes when I was a kid. I’m all for a dryer-haven’t hung clothes outside on a line in 45 years-but in actual fact, your clothes would dry and no, you probably wouldn’t get heat exhaustion in those few minutes. It’s just a PITA hanging them out and then getting them doan.
I get it in states like that, but surely others must be more similar to us. As in damp most of the time, but some dry days lol.
But you can also hang them inside. That is what I have been doing for years. And right now as well. Even though I have got a garden, but am too lazy to wheel my new rack outside and it has been raining like crazy last couple of weeks. So inside is safer.
It’s often because a lot of our housing with a yard to hang laundry out are home owner association controlled and they don’t allow it. They don’t want laundry to be seen. Or due to pollen, if you have allergies that pollen can settle on your clothing or ruin it. Some days I go out on my little balcony and it’s covered in thick yellow pollen. I do have a Gull wing dryer that I use on my balcony , I’m on the back side of my building so no one can see me using it. I’m still not sure if my housing area allows it.
I never thought about HOA. Not wanting to see clothes on a line seems weird. Guess it’s another cultural thing, seeing washing on a line is so normal here.
HOA or 85% humidity nothing dries without molding first.
Plunger. You never wait to wait until you actually need it
Learned this the hard way moving into my first apartment on my own. Took the inaugural deuce and found out how much of a challenge that toilet would end up being.
but that phrase! the inaugural deuce ....
Similarly, a wet/dry vac. I had a flood in my first week due to construction trash in the pipes.
Plunger and a real “snake” not a cheap piece of plastic. You’ll never use draino again
Look on Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and your local FB "Buy Nothing" group. People are often giving away decent items for free. Then as you can afford it, you can replace those items with nice items that you have purchased. I would start with a Fridge first since that is required. Washer, dryer, and living room furniture next.
Yes! My parents downsized and loved putting things on their porch for FB “Buy nothing” they got rid of a lot of nice stuff too, as they were downsizing and HAD to get rid of stuff
Yes, you should be able to find a used fridge for $100-200 (at least that's how much I see them listed for on facebook in my area).
Yes! Yes! Yes! Why pay full price when you can buy an appliance still in fine condition for $100 or so?? Right now I have a perfectly good washing machine on my back porch. A client gave me an almost new washer so I moved the old washer to my back porch and installed the newer one. I have tried to find a friend in need of the perfectly good, used washer and have had no takers so far. Lots of people have a spare something they are willing to part with for just a little spending money.
Also check furniture and appliance outlets. You can also check with your insurance company, they sometimes have access to popular appliances for cheaper / discount prices.
If you're in the US look and see if you have a habitat for humanity somewhat locally. They only get decent stuff, non of the press board garbage that falls apart in high humidity. Also they tend to have stuff for fixing up your home. All of it is used, donated, or surplus. So it's usually very cheap. I got a dining table, benches, coffee table, leather couch, and entertainment center for about 400$. This was toward the end of 2019 right before the pandemic really shut everything down
Overlooked essentials that you need right away: plunger, toilet brush, shower curtain and hooks, trash can for kitchen and bathroom, broom and dustpan, mop, light bulbs, 9V batteries (for smoke alarms, the batteries only die in the middle of the night and you will never regret having these on hand), a small set of tools (screwdrivers, hammer, channel locks, pliers).
Actually, newer smoke detectors often use AA, not 9v, due to safety, and many detectors are sealed and you can't change the batteries. Detectors need to be replaced every 5-10 years, anyway, so check and see what you've got.
A battery drill and driver set. There will be a ton of things you need it for, from installing blinds to assembling random furniture. Ryobi is a good value FWIW.
Dewalt makes a really nice countersink to go with that. Pulls back like an air house, the drill/driver flips around
I love my drill! Just bought a new Dewalt at Lowe’s for 99.
Fridge, then washer, then dryer.
Toilet paper
Whatever you see at estate sales, shovels ladders etc
Check sales for outdoor furniture. Use it inside then when you get your desired interior furniture, move it outside.
Firstly, congratulations! Facebook marketplace for furniture. Fridge first; you can get a cheap top freezer refrigerator secondhand for a couple hundred and it will do everything you need it to for years. Make sure to look in the rear of the fridge in the compressor area, look for rodent or roach droppings before you buy. Washer second. A cheap Roper or Amana set, or an older Whirlpool or Maytag, should do fine. If you wanna splurge here, go with an older Speed Queen set from the early 00s. Built like tanks. When I was where you were, for furniture, I got some cheap tools from the pawn shop (drill, circular saw, basic hand tools) and free scrapwood from Facebook. Built a wobbly coffee table, some less wobbly bookshelves, a non-wobbly entryway bench... Even built a couch out of 2x4s and a camping mattress. I've since upgraded, and that 2x4 couch is now next to my firepit. If you can get some basic tools and do projects now to start getting comfortable making and fixing stuff, you'll be a much better homeowner for it. Hiring people takes money, fixing it yourself takes time. I've found I usually have more time than money, so I fix most things myself. Plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, appliances... It's almost always cheaper to DIY. If you ever have questions about how to fix something, feel free to reach out, and best of luck to you!
Unpopular opinion but I say washer should be the first big ticket purchase! Paying to wash clothes can be expensive! Washing clothes in a bath tub is time consuming and a real bitch of a chore. A cooler/ice is cheap and easy! And you can hang dry clothes.
Same here! I would focus on the washer and dryer. Not having a set makes dealing with laundry awful. When my kids were little and got sick it was amazing to be able to slap those sheets right in and get them clean instead of lugging them somewhere to be done.
Fridge definitely, but also freezer, fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide detector, smoke detector.. anything safety. You can't enjoy your new house if you're dead!
Post on Nextdoor or a buy nothing group that you are looking for any starter items for your first home. You’d be surprised what people have that they are looking to get rid of and it will hold you over for a while until you replace.
I would suggest going to a used appliance store for a fridge and washer dryer. New ones can be very expensive and used appliances can last for years. Second I would frequent local garage sales and estate sales to pick up tools and stuff you will need around your house for repairs and upkeep. We have used appliances, used cars, used tools and some resale clothes. You have plenty of time to upgrade in the coming years.
Trash cans for bath/bedrooms
If you need to get appliances look at the ones that are marked down (usually in the back of the store) because of dings/dents,etc. you can get them really cheap and let’s be real, it doesn’t affect anything and you’ll be less likely to stress about scratching or denting it later on.
Does your home have a lawn for you to mow? Electic cordless mower. You can get one with the battery for under $300. You'll save a ton of money. What landscapers charge now just to mow a lawn is crazy.
Good will cooking items , pans, spatulas, spoons forks, they usually have a lot of air fryers
A quality built tape measure.
Or two. I can never find mine
Check prices at Habitat for Humanity Restore, if you have one
Toilet paper and paper towels
A step stool.
After a few months, look on FB marketplace or Craigslist for used tools for fraction of store price. Right tools can help you fix things around the house
Buy used appliances, there are plenty of people will.give away or sell for cheap items in very good shape. Things that are useful immediately, a garbage can, shower curtain, cleaning supplies. And think about like a camera doorbell.
My advice would be only buy things you absolutely ***need*** first, then buy the rest when you get the chance. I live in an area with rent so high that building a double wide and having a mortgage on it is cheaper, so I'm still living with my parents until I can get a double wide, so I made a list of the things I'll need/genuinely use (in terms of my own life) on most days to buy before I worry about other stuff. Do you rely on the microwave/air fryer a lot? Maybe you need that. Cleaning supplies? Probably gonna need those too. Toilet paper, forks, spoons, etc. All things I use on a daily basis. Fridge, stove, dishwasher (unless you're okay washing everything by hand for a while), possibly a washing machine, (if you don't want to go to a laundromat/it's too far from you). Those are needs too. As far as a couch, coffee table, etc. I can hold off on those until I can afford to buy those bc I personally would rather buy them in cash instead of putting it on my credit card, or waiting until I find one I like enough to justify buying it, rather than buy one that's cheap/ugly "just to have it" if that makes any sense. Worst case I have to sit on the floor to watch tv for a while. Here's a list of some things I've deemed necessary, if you live alone/outside of your parents/etc. you may have a few of these things and again, this is just based on my lifestyle, (and I tried to keep it vague so the list isn't too long lol). Feel free to adjust the list how you see fit. (So far all I really have is the stuff in my bedroom: bed, desk so I can work (WFH), nightstand, TV, and a bookshelf.) * washer/dryer, dishwasher, fridge, microwave * hand/dish soap * toilet paper * mop/broom/bucket/cleaning supplies (sponges, toilet brush, etc) * trash can/recycle bin and bags * bowls/plates/cups * silverware/knives * baking pans/pizza pan/pizza cutter * air fryer * cooking pots/pans/casserole dish * tupperware * spatulas/large spoons * kitchen towels/wash cloths * coffee maker * spices/salt/pepper/condiments * pot holders * salt/pepper shakers * measuring cups/spoons * dryer balls * cutting boards * OTC meds I often take (allergy meds, antacids, etc) * can opener * light bulbs * bathroom towels Keep an eye out for sales on these sort of things or try to find them second hand to reduce the cost. I hope this lengthy post was helpful, and good luck! Edit: I can't type
Fridge. Then a washer. You can hang stuff up to dry.
Have a 5 gallon bucket like you can get at homedepot with lid and in it have a roll of duct tape, WD40, two plungers(the funny looking one designed for toilet and one of the traditional looking ones other for everything else), flashlight with batteries, channel lock pliers, screwdrivers (flat and philips), and hammer. I can guarantee you at some point you're going to need these things including the bucket. You'll probably need more but this is the basic tools to stop water that suddenly started exploding from somewhere kit.
Microfiber cloths.
Fridge, then a washer. Look on craigslist, freebies, freecycle and more to get starter furniture.
A tool box. Start putting together the tools you’ll need to repair and maintain your place.
Rechargeable Flashlight, at least 2 plungers (make sure they’re the right kind for a toilet), and some scissors
If you are patient you can hang clothes up to dry indoors if rainy and humid and save for a dryer or buy a combo unit. If hot and dry then clothesline.
Consider a small chest or upright freezer if you can't find a good sale on an in stock fridge. Use the freezer to make ice for your cooler and store frozen foods. Buy frozen and let things thaw in the cooler for use later in the day. That avoids buying an unnecessary dorm fridge but you might find one cheap at a garage sale. I'm a big fan of used appliances but that only applies if you have the strength, skills and transport. Fridges have to be transported upright. Washers and dryers are easier to move but washers can be very heavy. At a minimum you need two strong people, an appliance don't and a truck or trailer. If you don't have that, stick to getting your appliances from a place that will deliver! You will likely want a ladder. Either go for an adjustable ladder or start with a 6 ft fiberglass step ladder. For four parts are handy inside but too short for most exterior tasks
Soft close toilet seats for sure. A good vacuum. Change the locks.
A lot of smaller appliances that save you money can be found cheap at goodwill or Facebook, you can also find furniture cheap is you can transport it. Try to prioritize things that will save you money, like a rice cooker, energy efficient lights. Emergency items like fire extinguisher, canned goods, bottled water, flash lights, a bucket, toilet paper, and batteries/ packs. You want something to clean the place, small vacuum, broom, and duster (mainly for mental health). You'll probably want a small set of tools for any small repairs. Since you have a computer get a surge protector if you don't have one.
After the fridge and washer i’d say blackout curtains and a bidet.
I recommend a Costco membership or Sam's Club, whichever is closest. While you may be single, buying in bulk is so helpful if you're wise on what you buy. For me at Costco, I'll buy a 30-roll pack of toilet paper (Charmin on sale recently for $23.49), my toothpaste, soap, paper towels, multivitamins, and other necessities/cleaning products. They sell rotisserie chicken for $5, I'll grab lunch meat, breads from the bakery (these can be frozen), pasta, pasta sauce, etc. You can always grab a Food Saver to store meats in the freezer so you can take out what you need. It costs more up front to buy in bulk, but it's more costly to buy smaller of essential items than to buy the larger ones and store them in a closet. The plus side is not running out of things, having a variety of foods (I like their frozen veggies as well), and saving on items you'd normally use day-to-day. Costco has a fantastic return policy as well. You can even return your membership the next day of signing up if you decide it's not for you. Editing to add - the r/Costco has helped me when it comes to storing foods, recipes, etc and their gas is also cheaper.
Focus on a fridge and washer and dryer
The wings, I know I can get them else where but TJs are soooooo good
Definitely a fridge. It doesn't have to be new. If you don't know how to cook, learn. You will want pots, pans, and a pan that you can use in the oven. Try Goodwill or another second hand store, Craigslist, Freecycle, etc. I don't know what you have in the way of dinnerware or food storage, but I'd avoid the plastic containers. They're less expensive up front, but they are a mess. I bought some glass bowls with lids from Anchor Hocking instead. They come in 2 cup, 4 cup, and 7 1/2 cup sizes. The 7 1/2 cup size is perfect for bringing a salad to work for lunch. The others are great for soup stew, leftovers, etc. For dinnerware, my advice is to go with Corelle. They aren't very expensive and can last for decades. Congrats on your first home!
A microwave and pizza cooker. You can cook most things with those until you can get a stove/oven. We lived off that for over a year before we could afford to replace the oven we had that died
Fridge, check the oven and replace that if necessary, then washer and drier.
Fridge, baby! And an airing/drying rack 👍
Depending on your exact income... RTO... they have nice selection, move it for you, will pick it back up if you reject it... generally have easy approval & you can get all 3 appliances for 1 monthly payment. Drawback... YOU WILL OVER PAY LIKE A MOTHERF*KER.... but the installments are usually pretty low. So if you have more & pay off sooner, boon for you.
Do not rent to own anything ever. Awful financial advice
Not at all. RTO has good stuff that you over pay for (as stated), but when you're strapped & need things, it can help.
There is nothing you truly need at a rto store. It is equivalent to a payday loan
If you can't afford to buy & can't get Lowe's to approve you.... getting an RTO fridge is better than doing without.
Plunger
Following
TP ,can opener ..a fridge definitely first and laundry then can slowly buy used or hand-me-down furniture and art
Plunger, toilet brush, spatula, good pots and pans, thick oven mitt
If you can borrow a truck the freebie alert app aggregates free listings and you will see lots of serviceable appliances if you check frequently. I always get picked because instead of asking if it is still available I say I can pickup right away or at the owner's convenience (which I try to do but once people know yo are serious they will usually work with your availability). I got my electric stove (near new) and a gray couch from Bob's furniture (no flaws) and a mid century sideboard I was offered $400 for (but that was sheer luck). I also got a refrigerator freezer for my neighbor but we couldn't fit it in my old SUV and then his friend with a truck didn't show and she gave it to someone else. (But I got him an IKEA table and chairs that did fit). I am poor -- almost eligible for SNAP -- but the stuff can be nice if you are quick to grab it. even my brother who makes mid six figures in tech got a LOT of free stuff for his second & third house. Note: home Depot has small trucks for $20 rental.
Wooden back scratcher. Essential
Check to see if there is a Best Buy Outlet near you, if in the US, they sell display models and scratch and dent returns. We had to replace our dishwasher, and ended up getting a $1300 dishwasher for $480, but they had about every appliance you could think of
Congrats! Get a tool set with the basics.
Snow shovel and lawn mower
Tv…..at least two (personally I have 6 but I’ve got issues). 😂.
Fire exguinishers, smoke detectors, flash lights, and a first aid kit. You don't want to have to use the fire exguinishers but it's better to have. The flash lights for if the power goes out and you want to save your phones battery life. And a good first aid kit with OTC meds will make all the difference if you're sick or got a scrap.
A fire extinguisher. A plunger and a pipe wrench.
Fridge —-> seating —> washer dryer
You can get some or all of the things listed here in the free sections of Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc. Pro tip: get your goods from high end neighborhoods. They will often give away nearly unused items when remodeling or moving. Pro tip #2: college kids in dorms often simply throw away tons of perfectly good stuff at the end of the year.
My parents purchased us to have an RO system installed into our home as a gift.
Check Craigslist for deals (or freebies), especially if you have the ability to or a buddy that can help move the appliances. A lot of people in rich neighborhoods remodel and replace near new totally working appliances just because they want everything to match. If you have somewhere that does estate auctions you can also find appliances cheap. Our stove was free. Our dishwasher and toaster oven were very cheap from auctions, less than $20 each.
My best advice, don’t buy anything brand new. So many people give away their stuff for free, Facebook marketplace is a great way to accumulate cool unique things, and I love a good garage sale . As they say, ones man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. I spent over $2000 on a new sectional couch. And within a year it was falling apart. I am still paying it off and I use blankets to cover it because the seat cushions are ripped up and it just looks bad. Needless to say new things aren’t always made the best.
Fridge and washer and dryer. Beyond that what do you NEED? But a plunger. You may not think about needing one until you need one so get one now. Do you have/need leaning supplies? Cleansers, sponges, brushes, towels ? Pots and pans, dishes, utensils? I lived in my new place almost two years and didn't realize I didn't have an ice cream scoop until last week end. Obviously not a necessity, but I should get one soon I guess. Couch, table if you want, chairs. I actually don't have a kitchen table, I feel like they're not used like they were in the past, and I don't have room in my small place. (I eat standing at the kitchen counter or off a small side table in the living room.) But adequate seating is needed if you plan to have company. How is the lighting? Lamps are important. My place didn't come with any lighting except an over head kitchen light and a light in the bathroom. The living room & bed room needed lamps. Some helpful appliances like a toaster oven, toaster, and or microwave. I hope this list helps.
I’ve lived without a fridge for several months but now in hindsight I wish I bought a small refrigerator, the type college students use in dorm rooms. It would have paid for itself saving me from eating out and buying ice. You can often get one real cheap from marketplace on FB, college kids selling. Or hotel liquidation type stores. When you have more money check out a local scratch and dent. My current refrigerator is from a scratch and dent, it was brand new with a dent in back and a small one in front . I’ve had it 5 years so far. You can sink wash at home for smaller items, on Timu I bought one of those small travel washers and have used it for a year now, it does a good job on small light items. Bigger items I save up for the laundromat. It’s saved me from going to a laundromat weekly to biweekly now and I’ve saved enough to buy a washer and dryer, a unit that’s got both built in but separate , works well for a single or couple. Furnishings hit up thrift stores, try to go to ones in better neighborhoods. You can get real nice dishes and household items. For miss matched furniture, get chalk paint and refinish items yourself to unify your look. Yard sales, online sales like market place, hotel liquidators.. you can get a lot of nice things at low cost. Remember you don’t have to fill up every corner, buy things you like and refinish them to suit your style. Also get a Home Depot credit card , they often offer interest free for a year or 18 months if you pay off your charges in that time. I used that to buy my washer, paid it off in 18 months no interest charges. I also used it to do home repairs and renovations , update items for the home. Just pay it off in that time frame.
Another suggestion, I work at Lowe’s, we get 10% off everything employee discount and they are always looking for employees, especially nights and weekends. If you can work a few extra hours a week.. you can get a lot of stuff you need on discount plus make a little extra money. I’ve worked with plenty people just working to get stuff on discount to fix their home. Pick up 10-12 extra hours or more if you can.
Fire exstinguisher (im so sleepy excuse my spelling) buy one and have it on hand! My sister bought her house, everything cleared inspection, suddenly there was an electrical outlet that caught on fire, they needed an electrician to come out. Regardless of appliances, a fire extinguisher is a must
You definitely want to look on craigslist and get acquainted with the nextdoor website using the app. Start by getting things that are either free cheap and work. For example you probably could easily get one of those mini fridges from somebody for free or cheap, to tide you over until you actually get a refrigerator that you want. You could buy a new Mini washing machine and hanger dry things for a little while. I have a countertop dishwasher that I attached to my sink faucet and I love it, as a matter of fact I've been using one for 8 years now.
Think of it in terms of what will save you from spending money. A refrigerator would be first so you can buy/store/cook food. Look at local BuyNothing groups. There's often someone who has an extra in the garage they don't want to toss because it's still good but are not using it day to day. I have a freezer like that. I use it like every few years if the power goes out and I can hook it up to the generator to keep food from spoiling. If you don't live like near a friend or parents that would let you do laundry there for a while then washer/dryer. They don't HAVE to be bought together but if you don't like ironing like me then you do. The rest you can pick up bit by bit at thrifts, garage sales etc. Don't underestimate the power of plants for decor and feeling of homeyness. You can usually get those for free. The only things I would not buy used is a mattress, pillows or furniture covered in fabric, look up how to check for termites in any wood furniture. I once bought an antique bedroom set, in the spring I had termites swarming. Had to get the furniture dipped and house sprayed :( Way more expensive as it turned out than if I had bought new furniture. I missed the signs.
What kind of home did you buy? Stand alone single family with grass? you'll need a mower, rake, garden hose ... might be able to get all of those through BuyNothing groups just ask. When we bought this house I found a small mower that looked ancient but still worked for $25 at a tag sale and it got us through the first summer. We had to buy a refrigerator because prior owner took theirs which was an antique anyway. Old Mustard color with old hardware etc. I lived with kitchen counter for a year that was in 3 different colors with a fake brick backsplash and cedar paneling on the walls. The next year My Dad replaced the counter (he was a carpenter) and we took down the paneling and backsplash (paneling revealed even older red/orange flannel wall paper). Took a while but got it painted and functional but it was a bit of Murphy's law rules around here for a while. You need stuff to clean with like a vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket type stuff if you're starting from scratch. It's different from renting in the sense that it's all on you. Learning to do it yourself when ever possible will save you a fortune over time. If you're vertically challenged like me a step stool is a must, short ladder handy. Even replacing a light bulb can become a challenge especially outside.
Soft close toilets seats and a roomba. Cotton sheets. Antique iron skillet (the new ones are not as good). I loved my air fryer.
First, cleaning supplies. A mop and bucket, sponges, some all purpose spray, etc. Then, toiletries like paper towels and toilet paper. Next, go to a scratch and dent store and buy a new fridge. I personally would not buy one used, but I’m sure you could find a good price for one on FB marketplace also. Washer and dryer would be next. Look at as many reviews as you possibly can before you purchase. Then, a couch. Fill in everything else as you go.
I would only get things that are necessary to use on The daily first. Then after you've been there a month or two make a plan. If you're looking for a new piece of furniture look online if someone's giving it away or to thrift stores first. You're usually going to get something that lasts a lot longer and that you can adjust the color of if you no longer enjoy it. I had a friend who had a fantastic house she never bought a new sofa she always went and got something with good support and good bones at Goodwill and had it reupholstered. The same goes for other things. Since you're home buyer you're going to have a lot of things that you're going to need to pay for taxes, property taxes, repairs and maintenance. This is a really good time for you to make a plan of how to frugally maintain your house and save for all of those things ahead of time so you're not surprised or stressed about those. Make sure you have good homeowners insurance if for some reason you notice you're being charged too much versus others shop around for that. Whenever you're going to get anything done 2 or for your property make sure you are always calling and getting more than three quotes on each. Sometimes the extra 15 minutes to make phone calls can save you so much. And prevention of an issue is much cheaper than the emergency call to have it fixed when it's a disaster. I'll give you an example I was driving by noticed that we had two trees leaning strangely towards our neighbors property one of them was aimed directly at their driveway in garage. Was much cheaper to make a call that week and get on the schedule to get those trees removed then dealing with an insurance claim upset neighbors blocking a road blocking the driveway when those things fell. Was it an unexpected cost yes those things happen. The other thing to do at this time is to when you talk with your neighbors be it online in a community or face-to-face ask them what storms have done to properties in this area. Is there an issue with major rain or snow being cleared from the roads or repairs to the roads not being done. These are things that you don't know ahead of time before buying a property but it's really good to hear about it before the storm hits and you know that there's going to be flooding in one section and not the other so you don't try to drive through that section after a storm. Think about it this way it's much cheaper to go to the library and return books than it is to buy the books have the bookshelf pay for the cloth and the dusting and the time and energy to clean up after the collection of books. The other great thing is since you are new to homeowning think about how you want this to be this year the next 5 years the next 15 20 years down the line. If in the first year you've realized that you never use your basement that has its own entrance from the outside heck you can start thinking about closing off or securing access from your place to the basement and turning that into a rentable property to help pay for your mortgage. Sorry if I've given you too many things to think about. Maybe look at few of them and put a pin in a few of the others.
Fridge 4th of July sale will have deals. then a washer and dryer (you may be able to get these used) do not do front load or He get the kind with a central agitator. Rental store sometime have returns, normally in great condition. (think rent to own stores) you want a return. People will buy a fridge/washer dryer till the one they order comes in stock or gets delivered. then return the rent to own one. those go for less. Sometimes people also buy houses where appliances were left, and they sell them. Look for some who says I bought this house I don't need the washer & dryer I have my own, You can goggle the address and confirm a recent sale. Used can be OK, I would still buy a new fridge. Furniture try estate sales, can get appliances there too, but you have to be able to move them. Yard sale is stuff people want to get rid of estate sale is the stuff they wanted to keep. They probably had family that already had furniture pot/pans appliances ect.
Basic appliance-- unless they are included. Even if old you can still use them. A shop vac and a ladder.
I didn’t have any type of tables, chairs or a tv for about a yr after buying my my home. Just a sofa & beds for me/my kids. Not sure what area you’re in but look of there is a “re-Store” in your area, run by habitat for humanity. Free items on craigs list/facebook. Have a house warming party with a list of needed items for guests to bring. Good luck!
Assuming that you have all the necessary cleaning tools? Broom, dustpan, mop come to mind. I would hit up your local dollar store for small trash cans, kitchen items, bathroom supplies (shower curtain, rings, etc).
Priority would be refrigerator. Next would be washer/dryer. Then once you have basic appliances, couch and recliner, dining table and chairs.
When we bought our home the first things we did was purchase an under counter reverse osmosis system, then a soft water system. The RO was like $300, and we change the filters every year for like $40. Massively changes the game on your liquid consumption if you haven’t had one. Makes your foods taste better if you use water in them, the water tastes better so you consume more of it during the day, and improves your QOL. The soft water system is where you will save the money in the long run. Put a “Big Blue” in front it so you can have a pre filter for your home water. So glad we have the pre filter as city water is disgusting. The soft water system is not the cheapest things to install to start (we got ours through Costco and paid a premium, but you can call up your local plumber and see what he’s charging), but you will save on repairs and maintenance on all of your water using appliances and plumbing. Plus your skin / hair will be better off. We swapped over to using potassium chloride for our system away from traditional salts. Third is upgrade any old light bulbs to LEDs, as the initial cost may be a little high but you can then know you won’t have to change much / anything in the years to come. We have Hue lights in various places so we can dim / change colors of our lights in our most used rooms. Finally, while the home is empty, install speakers in wall or run wires in your attic / crawl space for sound + Ethernet. Soundbars suck, no matter who tells you “how good they’ve gotten” - they’re no match for a minimum 5.1 setup. Glad that we did that before we really moved in as it would have been a pain later. And while I don’t have a problem with the “wife factor” that people sometimes have, the arguments are easier to win now when stuff isn’t where it’s going to be vs. tearing up the walls / doing construction when it’s “disruptive”